How do we sell our sport? Last week at York was a shining example

Regardless of where you stand on those initiatives, investment and innovation is clearly welcome in British horseracing.

However, as my colleague Lee Mottershead touched upon in his Monday column, racing doesn't always need to greedily grab at grandiose strategies to grow the sport.

Last week's Ebor festival demonstrated how much of a success racing can be when it values, has confidence in and prioritises its core product: the horses.

In the spring, York's race committee set out with a statement of intent by pledging a minimum of £70,000 for each race for the Ebor meeting's extended 28-race programme.

By committing to support every race in this way, key players were rewarded across the spectrum of the industry.

Predictably, the course reaped the benefits of this outlay, with the average handicap field size just under 16, and some of the best horses around targeted at the four days.

This meant fans and punters were able to enjoy consistently competitive racing.

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Sky Bet is one of the meeting's principal sponsors and the firm's PR manager Michael Shinners said this week that he was "delighted" by turnover, adding that the competitive nature of the races meant the company was able to pay out on extra places in a number of races. The Saturday Ebor card is now one of their busiest days of the year.

It is a straightforward observation to make, but if a similar approach was taken for other flagship meetings the industry would be in a far healthier economic position.

They say if you get the little things right then the big things will follow, and while York set solid foundations there were also a whole host of box-office performances on the track.

Mishriff cemented his position as the best older horse in the world last Wednesday, swaggering clear of three top-level winners in the Juddmonte International to record a first Group 1 on home soil.

On the Thursday, Snowfall validated her position at the head of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe market with a breezy performance in the Yorkshire Oaks, a race Enable took en route to winning at Longchamp in 2017.

Stradivarius brought his people-pleasing charm to the Knavesmire on Friday, his duel with Spanish Mission providing the perfect aperitif to Winter Power's barnstorming win in the Nunthorpe for local trainer Tim Easterby.

Winter Power: barnstorming win in the Nunthorpe for jockey Silvestre de Sousa and trainer Tim EasterbyCredit: Edward Whitaker

When it comes to horses of their quality there should be no debate: they deserve to be the centre of attention. And this is perhaps York's greatest triumph – it is not afraid to celebrate racing in its purest form.

Just look at the reception the recently retired Battaash received on Friday. The dual Nunthorpe winner provided one of the most moving moments of the week when he paraded in front of the stands under Jim Crowley.

The rider and crowd were unanimous in their appreciation for a uniquely talented performer. It was an almighty vote of confidence for racing – and moments like this unite fans and we should believe and trust in them when it comes to selling our sport.

If, like me, you weren't lucky enough to be at the course last week, York's social media team picked up the baton and ensured people felt appreciated and included, mixing behind-the-scenes footage of the stars with more light-hearted content of their canine clerk Willie the Whippet.

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While the focus should undoubtedly be on the action on the course, we now live in a social media age and racing must remember to foster this type of enthusiasm.

If further evidence is required to endorse the horse-first approach as a viable marketing strategy, take a dive into the statistics.

Attendance levels reached a record high of 20,000 on Friday (15 per cent better than the previous record set in 2011), while ITV Racing anchor Ed Chamberlin said this week that the channel’s viewing figures had shot back up after a recent lull, with the peak average reaching 719,000, 7,000 up on 2019.

Ed Chamberlin: ITV presenter reported that the channel's average viewing figures were upCredit: Edward Whitaker

Chamberlin added his name to those lavishing praise on the course, revelling in the fact that he had spotted "families galore" throughout the week.

Indeed, the Ebor festival seemingly passed without any notable misconduct, which may have been due to an enhanced level of policing and increased drug-detection dogs.

This helps dispel the stereotype that all top sporting events are natural hotbeds for antisocial and violent behaviour.

Given under-18s get in free, racing is particularly well placed to appeal to this demographic, and the importance of an inclusive atmosphere should not be undersold.

The Ebor festival in particular gave the impression it didn't leave that sort of thing down to chance.

Pride is taken in promoting the city's heritage and local businesses, whether that be through the award-winning Ged Bell pies, the York gin produced just three miles away or the flowers grown from seed by the groundstaff themselves.

York has a distinct identity and a portion of that may be because of how the local people wholeheartedly buy into the experience. Can other meetings say they do this with as much conviction?

William Derby and his team recognise there is no need for gimmicks or secondary attractions and put the horses at the heart of what they do. It isn't a coincidence the Ebor festival has gained a reputation for being one of the highlights of the Flat season.

York sells racing as it should be sold: big-hearted and with the sport unashamedly front and centre.

This column is exclusive to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Read more great content here:

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday